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News Release 1-Feb-2024


INSULIN PRICES IN US ARE MORE THAN TWICE AS HIGH AS IN OTHER WEALTHY NATIONS

Depending on type of insulin, some U.S. prices can be even higher

Reports and Proceedings

RAND Corporation



The gross price of insulin in the U.S. is more than nine times higher than in 33
high-income comparison nations, according to a new RAND report.

 

Although the cost differences of insulin between the U.S. and other nations
varied depending on the comparison country and the type of insulin, U.S. prices
were always higher -- often five to 10 times higher -- than those in other
countries. The new report updates findings from earlier RAND work about U.S.
insulin prices.

 

After accounting for rebates and other discounts often offered by drug
manufacturers, the price of a unit of insulin remained 2.3 times higher in the
U.S. than in comparison nations, according to the study.

 

“Insulin prices in the U.S. have been increasing for many years and are
substantially higher than in other middle and high-income nations,” said Andrew
Mulcahy, the study’s lead author and a senior health economist at RAND, a
nonprofit research organization.

 

Insulin is a drug most commonly used to control blood sugar levels in people who
have insulin-dependent diabetes. The drug is sold in many different forms, with
different chemical properties and different duration of effects. 

 

Insulin list prices in the United States have increased dramatically since the
early 2010s. For example, one federal analysis found that the average U.S.
wholesale-acquisition price for rapid-acting, long-acting, and short-acting
insulin increased by 15% to 17% per year from 2012 to 2016.

 

Medicare enrollees’ financial exposure to out-of-pocket spending for insulin is
changing dramatically. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, insulin cost-sharing
will be capped at $35 per month beginning in 2024. Congress also is considering
proposals to extend the cap to individuals with employer or individual market
coverage.

 

RAND researchers compiled their estimates of international insulin prices by
examining industry standard IQVIA MIDAS data on insulin sales and volume for
2017 through 2022, comparing the U.S. to 33 nations that belong to the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

 

The analysis presents separate comparisons using manufacturer gross prices,
which may be more relevant to U.S. patients without drug coverage or otherwise
paying out of pocket for insulin, and estimated manufacturer net prices after
applying rebates paid by manufacturers.

 

The report presents volume and sales by type of insulin separately for the
United States and 33 comparison OECD countries.

 

Researchers found that U.S. manufacturer gross prices per 100 international
units of insulin were on average 9.71 times those in OECD comparison countries
combined. After estimating gross-to-net discounts for insulins, U.S. net prices
remained 2.33 times of those in comparison countries combined.

 

U.S. manufacturer gross prices ranged from 4.57 times those in Mexico to 37.99
times those in Turkey.  Comparisons of U.S. insulin prices to prices in other
countries were fairly constant from 2017 through 2022.

 

The study was sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning
and Evaluation in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

 

The report, “Comparing Insulin Prices in the United States to Other Countries:
Results from a Price Index Analysis,” is available on the website of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services and on www.rand.org.  

 

Other authors of the report are Daniel Schwam and Nate Edenfield.

 

RAND Health Care promotes healthier societies by improving health care systems
in the United States and other countries. 

 

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DOI

10.7249/RRA788-2

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Comparing Insulin Prices in the United States to Other Countries Updated Results
Using 2022 Data

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

1-Feb-2024

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news
releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of
any information through the EurekAlert system.



Media Contact

Warren Robak
RAND Corporation
robak@rand.org
Office: 310-451-6913


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MORE ON THIS NEWS RELEASE


INSULIN PRICES IN US ARE MORE THAN TWICE AS HIGH AS IN OTHER WEALTHY NATIONS

RAND Corporation

Funder U.S. Department of Health and Human Services DOI 10.7249/RRA788-2

KEYWORDS

 * /Physical sciences/Chemistry/Chemical compounds/Biomolecules/Hormones/Insulin
 * /Social sciences/Economics/Medical economics

ORIGINAL SOURCE

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA788-2.html

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(AAAS)

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